Canterlot was foreboding to Nova. It's giant and pristine castle walls were so far from normal to him that he didn't want to approach. He hovered next to the pure stone walls and gawked at them. Oz stood at the gates, the guards checking him for anything malicious on his person. He looked up at the flying Alicorn and sighed. "Nova, you're gonna havta get checked by the guards if you want in Canterlot, they don't take to kindly to ponies who can fly going over the walls!" he shouted up. Nova looked down at them with a frown. He pondered to himself if they would arrest him for something stupid just because he was a foreigner. He glided down to them and landed gently, hoping to not do anything that the guards would consider suspicious. The one unicorn guard hovered a spell over Nova that then slid down him as if it was scanning him. When it reached the ground the guard lifted it back up him and then stopped at his broken horn. The guard looked at him suspiciously and then shook it off.
"You may want to get your Alicorn costume fixed, kid." the guard huffed. Nova went to argue the matter but Oz, who was now standing behind the guards shook his head in exclamation. The Alicorn just sighed and nodded in acknowledgment of the guard's remark. The other guard that was a Pegasus lowered his wing, allowing Nova to pass. When he got out of earshot range of the two white ponies he muttered something rather demeaning at them. Oz heard it but simply ignored the remark. As they trotted into Canterlot square Nova became even more insecure. The completely untouched cityscape overwhelmed his senses. The ponies walking around in glamorous attires almost blinded him. Oz was just as surprised at the difference Canterlot was from the floating city he grew up in. both of them stood on a street corner and just took in the view of the glamorous shops and alley ways. Along the street they were standing on was an outdoor café with many-a glamorous pony eating their fancy meals. Nova felt very out of place. As did Oz, his bandaged hide and wing made him feel as if he wasn't good enough for the high life city they were now presented with. Though, it didn't take long before Nova felt a creepy sinsation crawl up his spine. When he finally couldn't resist looking away from the amazing city, he looked over his shoulder to see passers by staring at him. Not Oz AND him, just him. He let out an awkward smile at a couple that passed by, their gaze not leaving his broken horn. They grimaced at one of his broken teeth and trotted away without even trying to hide their haste. He let out a low growl.
"Why do they keep staring at me?" he asked, not really to anypony in general. OZ, oblivious that Nova wasn't talking to him, was glad to respond.
"Because they've never seen an Alicorn not from Celestia's lineage…also…you're the first Alicorn they've seen to have a dick." he said, leaning in close with an awkward smile. Nova grimaced at him.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he scolded.
"I'm kidding you ass, geeze lighten up." Oz said glaring at him.
"Lighten up!? I'm in a city full of strangers-!" Oz slammed his hoof into Nova's mouth. Not hard enough to be considered a punch, but enough to silence him and irritate him at the same time.
"Stop yelling idiot, you're already drawing enough attention!" Nova calmed down at that. He didn't want any more ponies acknowledging his presence than who already had. "It's not that I'm wanting to sneak through Canterlot or anything, it's just that if I got attacked from the Everfree Forest for no reason, by a pony that is, then I can only imagine that whom ever wants to kill me would be here too. Dunno why they want me dead, but I'd rather not risk it." Nova let out an annoyed huff.
"Fine. Is that where we need to go?" Nova asked looking up at Canterlot Castle. Oz followed his gaze to the glistening castle that rested above Canterlot square.
"Yes it is, if we're to meet the Princ-"
"There he is!" shouted a bystander that had two Unicorn guards on each side of them. Neither Oz nor Nova recognized the pony reporting them as a recent by stander.
"What the hay?" Oz shouted as the Unicorns put the two in a binding shield. "What the Tatarus is this!?"
"You're from Tesorias, aren't you Alicorn." said a third Unicorn guard coming from behind the bystander and up to the now hovering Nova. He stopped mere meters from Nova's snout, glaring into the Alicorn's eyes.
"Yeah, what of it?" he grunted with malice.
"I'm Shining Armor, Captain of the royal guard, tell me why you're here Tesorian."
"Well, Rust Bucket, I'm not speaking till you stop this humiliation!" Nova crossed his fore-hooves and snorted. Shining glared at him and then turned to Oz.
"Where are you from, Pegasus?"
"Originally Cloudsdale, sir. But uh…I was coming from Las Pegasus to give a message to Princess Celestia." Shining sneered at him for a moment and then nodded at the Unicorn that had Oz held up. That guard released his magic and Oz fell on his back, doing everything he could from yelling in pain from his wing.
"We'll escort you…" Shining looked down at the injured Pegasus with a questioning look.
"Oz…" Oz said as he sat up, fighting back the tears and rubbing his broken wing.
"Oz…we'll escort you to the castle. You however," Shining turned his attention to the still floating Alicorn, "Will stay incapacitated."
"Whatever." Nova scoffed. Oz stood and let out a sigh as the pain in his wing began to dull as endorphins finally began to take effect.
"Come with us." the guard that was no longer holding Oz said as the shooed away the bystander that had reported them. Oz watched the odd Earth pony walk away, just as he turned the corner an orange hue could be seen coming from his eyes. Oz thought it strange, but the forcefulness of the guards made him quickly push it out of his mind. As they slowly meandered to the castle Oz couldn't keep from wondering how that bystander knew Nova was from a different land. He looked over his shoulder at the simmering Alicorn and studied him. The scars stamped into his skin looked no different than that of any other pony that had had a rough life. Even Equestrian ponies were known to get pretty beat up if they worked in a dangerous field. Another thing that bothered him was, why did the guard at the gate get fooled by his broken horn, yet no other pony has thought of it as fake. He looked at the cobblestone street they walked on heavy in thought. Nova finally broke the silence.
"You can let me go, Shining. I'm not a danger to you." he said irritated.
"That's to be decided by Princess Celestia." Armor retorted. Nova just glared at the white and blue pony. He wished he could use his magic to just rend the bastard in two, but the magic field he was in also dampened his own magic. He only knew that because he had already tried to break it. If his horn hadn't of been broken, weakening his powers, he might have been able to over power the Unicorn holding him, but that was not the case. He cursed the now long dead griffon that took his horn. They walked up the long, winding path that lead to the castle from the square. Looking over his shoulder, Oz could see Ponyville a few kilometers away. He turned his head, and strained to see Cloudsdale from around the mountain. All he could see was the coliseum where he had passed his flight test so many years ago. Glancing at his bandaged wing, he began to long for the ability to fly again. His hooves were sore from having walked so much. Suddenly they stopped. Because Oz was so enthralled in his thoughts he almost didn't notice Shining not moving any more and nearly bumped into him. He managed to shake from his day dreams and stop just before a collision occurred. They had stopped in front of the castle doors, two Unicorn guards stood at attention as they used their magic to let in the Captain and his entourage. Both Nova and Oz were dumbstruck at the brilliance that was on the other side of the entryway. As they were escorted into the main hall they couldn't stop looking around at the brilliant décor. Pictures of Princess Cadence hung on one side as on the other showed Princess Luna. Above the split stair case at the end of the foyer hung a picture of Princess Celestia, smiling down at anypony that entered the halls. Shining Armor glanced at the picture of Cadence and smiled. They went up the stair case, guards standing at attention as their superior passed. Nova noticed that as he passed by they would glare at him. This simply caused him to become even more irritated at the situation he was in. Though, he couldn't help but take one more look at Princess Luna's picture before they entered the left door way at the top of that staircase. They entered a long hallway that led to two large doors. In this hallway stood statues of pony armor that appeared to be from the time when the two regal sisters took over the land. Nova was completely enthralled in the large banner of Princess Luna that hung on one side of the hallway, next to Celestia's. Oz noticed that Cadence's portrait was not present and found it quite odd.
"Why isn't Princess Cadence shown in here?" Oz queried.
"She's not present in the Kingdom at the moment. She's taking care of matters in the Crystal Kingdom." Shining said, as he looked at blank spot on the wall. Oz could only imagine that was where her banner used to be. The two Earth pony guards at the end of the hall rushed to open the door for them. As the two large golden doors moved out of their way, they were introduced to the throne room. It's overbearing glamour was almost to much for Nova, until he saw her. His gaze fell upon Luna's sleek dark curves and luminous flowing mane and he did everything he could to keep his wings from popping up. Not to mention keeping himself from showing the world his tool. He cursed his current lack of clothing. He clamped his wings tight around the rolled up bag laid on his spine as hard as he could. The two princesses broke from their idle conversation to watch the group meander in to the middle of the room. Everypony in the party bowed except Nova. It wasn't because he was incapable of such, he just didn't hold the Princesses in as high regard.
"Even an outsider would be so courteous as to bow to other lands' rulers." Stated Celestia to Nova. He sighed and lowered his head respectfully.
"We brought you the Tesorian, Princesses" Shining said as he stood. The others followed suit. "And this Pegasus claims to have a message for you." he nodded in Oz's direction.
"Well, actually ma'am…I don't anymore. You see…I was attacked on my way here by some ghostly pony that took away my Cutie Marks." he turned his haunch around to show Celestia and Luna his bandaged hide. "I was going to warn you about some astrological event but…I can't remember what it was, and I'm no longer able to read the stars like I used to." the sisters looked at each other and then back at Oz.
"It would seem to be true, my sister." Luna said.
"Yes, Luna. The loss of a Cutie Mark does remove one's special talent as well."
"We came to see Twilight Sparkle and get our Cutie Marks back." Nova spat.
"You're not going anywhere near my sister!" Shining shouted, his face now planted against the force field.
"What? Scared I'm gonna touch her?"
"Shut the fuck up you bastard!"
"SHINING!" Celestia shouted. She used her magic to rip him from Nova's bubble. Nova just waved at him with a cocky smile, burning Shining Armor even more. "Control yourself." Shining stood from the floor he had been drug to and turned to face his ruler. "Why are you here Tesorian?" she asked looking at Nova.
"I'm here seeking aid for my nation. We're-"
"At war, I know. Your disharmonic nation has led me to ban my subjects from entering your lands." she nodded at the Unicorn that still had him bound and Nova was released. He opened his wings and drifted to the floor. "We will not be sending aid to your people. I'm sorry." Nova wasn't sure to be sad, or out right angered by Celestia's disregard of his countries needs.
"What the Tartarus!?"
"I will not have my people subjugated to your land's brutish ways!"
"Maybe, sister, if he could regain his Cutie Mark, he could help the Pegasus in telling us his message." Luna said.
"What do you mean?" Celestia was irritated at Luna's statement. The nighttime Alicorn began to walk down the stairs to Nova. She had seen the look he had given her when he walked in. she had never seen a male Alicorn, so her infatuation with him was peeked. As she walked around him, studying his scarred body, her curiosity about him grew. Celestia watched this irritated at her sister's flirtatious behavior.
"What was your special talent, Alicorn?"
"My name's Nova, and it was to predict astrological events."
"So both of you are astronomers by talent?" she asked as she walked back to her throne.
"Yes" the two new comers responded in unison.
"Then perhaps, sister, Nova could help…" she paused and looked at the blue Pegasus.
"Oh…uh…Oz" the winged pony stumbled.
"Nova and OZ could regain their Cutie Marks and tell us what it is that Oz had seen." Celestia looked at her sister through her flowing mane.
"Sometimes, I wonder if trapping you in the moon has inhibited you to read those around you." she looked back at Nova and sighed. "Help Oz discover what it was he needed to tell us and we'll consider sending aid to your nation." A subtle grin ran across Nova's lips.
"Agreed." Nova figured he had put up with Oz enough, he could deal with him a few more hours.
"Shining, show them to your sister. See if she can restore their Cutie Marks. If I know her, she in the Starswirl the Bearded wing." Celestia ordered.
He nodded and reluctantly led them out of the chamber.